5 fundraising tips by Jerry Ting, after raising $155M

Jerry Ting is the CEO and co-founder of Evisort, a contract management software startup. He raised $155M for Evisort - so he has a lot of useful advice for startup founders.

He shared his take on fundraising in a podcast by Vertex Ventures (listen to it here). Here are five of his best tips for startups raising capital:

1. Investors are for the long term: An investor that joins your startup will likely stay in your world for the lifetime of your company. So don't enter that relationship thinking only about the money your company will receive. Make sure your investor is someone you trust to help guide key decisions, navigate challenges, and provide long-term support. Treat them kindly and honestly, and build a benevolent relationship based on trust and respect.

2. Build a board that will help you win: Each investor you accept into your board should bring distinct value. Choose based on what your startup needs at each stage of growth. Prioritize investors who will help you become a better operator and add strategic value to your business.

3. Time your investor meetings strategically: Create a list of all the investors you want to pitch. Order the list by the investors' fit to your company, market, current needs, and stage. Then start pitching the ones on the bottom of the list, and use those meetings to refine your pitch. That way, you will meet your top priority investors at your best.

4. Use momentum intentionally: Time key milestone announcements, such as a product release or a customer win, so that you can share them with potential investors while fundraising. Creating momentum helps build excitement and a fear of missing out, and improves your chances of success with investors.

5. Never stop building your personal investor network: Even when you’re not actively raising funds, keep building relationships with investors. Regularly engage with them to sharpen your narrative and grow your personal investor network. These relationships will help you when the time comes to raise.